Speed-governor attachment for electrical apparatus.



No. 654,752. Patented July 3|, I900. J. H. MGGURTY.

SPEED GOVERNOR ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIGALAPPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m: Noam: Pnzagca, Pnoruumou \A'ASHINGTON. n. c,

NITED STATES;

PATENT OFFIcE.

JAMES H. MC GURTY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF FORTY- NINE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO THOMAS MCEWAN, JR, OF SAME PLACE.

SPEED-GOVERNOR ATTACH ENT or ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming art of IlettersgPatent'No. 654,752, dated July 31, 1900.

Application filed April 251960,

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. MoGURrna A citizen of the United States, residing at J r; sey City, in the county of Hudson and State v of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Speed-GovernorAttachment for Electrical Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. j A This invention relates to means for governing or regulating the speed of starting electrical apparatus, such as motors and like transmitting devices, so as to positively control the delivery of the electric current to the electrical mechanism to be operated, so that the supply shall be gradual in order to prevent the usual injurious efiects arising from an overcharge of the current. In the accomplishment of, this result the invention primarily contemplates an improved governing or check device designed for use as an attachment to electrical starting apparatus, which when manipulated too rapidly causes injury to the machinery associated therewith.

The special purpose of the invention is to provide a novel and reliable form of governor or check attachment designed for utilization in connection with the ordinary controllers or switches used for starting and stopping electrical motors and like translating devices, and which are commonly employedon motorcars and are operated manually by a motorman. In carrying out this object. theinvention provides means for. positively preventing the entire current being turned suddenly into the motors, and also, provides effectual means for retarding the movement of the operating or controller handle during the period of engagement of the successive contracts, while at the same time permitting a more accelerated movement in passing from contact to contact,so that each contact-point may be reached withoutmaterial resistance. It is therefore one of the essential features of the invention to provide in 'connection with the attachment improved means for permitting of an intermittent, slow, and accelerated movement of the controller or switch or like device withjwhich the attachment may be associated, while also permittingof a quick and unimpeded return movement when the current is shut off.

SerialNo. 14,3b0i (No model.)

With these and oth er objects in view, which will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and relation of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated,-and claimed.

' The essential features of the invention, involving the intermittent, slow, and accelerated movements and the unimpeded return movement, are susceptible to various modification swithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, but the preferred embodiments of the improvements are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a motorcar controller equipped with a speed-governor attachment embodying the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the governor or check device, showing the plunger or dasher in operative relation to one of the relief ducts or passages of the cylinder to permit of the accelerated movement of the plunger. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. t

The speed-governor or check attachment is necessarily applicable to any typev of; controller-switch or like device used for starting and stopping electrical or other power machinery such as electrical motors, but inasmuch asthe invention has special utility in connection with controllers and switches such as are employed for controlling the sup ply of the current-to the electrical motora comprehensive understanding of theinvention may be had by considering the same as an attachment to'an ordinary electrical-controller of the type usually employed on motor-cars, and which controller is operated by the motorman. Therefore in the drawings is illustrated a part of an ordinary electrical controller designated by the numeral 1, which controller includes the usual shaft 2, carrying the controller-drum 3, fitted witha series of contact-segments 4:, arranged in theinusual successive order and cooperating with the contact-brushes 5, located at one side of the drum. The contacts 4 5 are successively broughtinto engagement in the usual manner to provide for gradually turning on the cur rent, and to secure the necessary movement of the controller-shaft 2 the same is extended through the top of the case 6 and receives on its upper terminal the usual controller-handle 7, which is grasped by the motorman and turned in either direction, according to whether the? attachment is preferably associated directly with the controller -shaft 2 in order topositively place a check upon the said shaft andprevent a too-sudden-application of the powe g;

. The speed -.go.vernor or check attachmen forming the subject-matter of the present application essentially comprises an air-cylinder 8 and a reciprocatory governing-plunger 9 working therein. The air-cylinder 8as well as the plunger and other parts associated therewith arepreferably housed entirely with- 1n thecontroller-case 6 near the top thereof, 'andtto secure the proper mounting of parts the cylinder 18 may be provided with a plufrality of attaching lugs or cars 10, which re- 'ceive screws or other suitable fastening means for supporting the cylinder on the back of the controller-case and in a substantially-horizontalpo'sition, as plainly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The said cylinder is of the usual form, and in the present invention the same is provided with a closed end 11 and an open end12, and in its closed end the said cylinder is formed with a contracted pressure-vent 13, which relieves the pressure of air to a sufficient degree between the said closed end 11 and the plunger 9 to permit the latter to be thrust inwardly within the cylinder in the manner tobe presently explained.

I pOne of the essential features of thepresent invention is to provide means whereby the governing-plunger 9 is permitted to have an intermittent, slow, andaccelerated moveinent, or, in other words, to cause the plunger to have an accelerated or free movement between the successive contacts 4 5 of thecontroller. This result may be accomplished by various expedients, but the preferable way of accomplishing the same is to provide the cylinder 8 with a succession of longitudinally-arranged and regularly-spaced relief ducts or passages 14, which are arranged in the path of the plunger 9. The succession "of spaced relief ducts or passages 14 are arrangedat one side of the cylinder, and

although itis obvious that thesame mightbe placed directly in'the wall of the cylinder itself, still the preferable construction is 1 shown in the drawings, and that is to form the said ducts or passages in one of 'the longitudinal faces of a separate guide-bar 15, firmly fitted-to the inside of the cylinder, extending longitudinally thereof from end to end and projecting inwardly from the wall. thereof. The said guide-bar 15 is preferably of an angular shape in cross-sectionand fits within a correspondingly-shaped notch 16, formed in the edge of the plunger 9, and by reason of this slidable interlocking engagement of the plunger with the guide-bar 15 the said plunger is prevented from turning ,by being held to a fixed reciprocatory movement: In additionto the edge notch 16 the ;lief ducts 14, and-at this point it may be observed that the ducts 14 are preferably in the form of open grooves or notches, .which open directly into the interior of the airqcylinder, except when covered by the plunger.

A suitable operative connection is provided between the governing-plunger 9 and the controller-shaft 2. This may consist of a pitman 18, having a suitable couplingconnection 19 with the plunger 9 and also pivotally connected with the slotted-end portion 20 of the segmental couplingarm 21, which is bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to the controller-shaft 2, and is of an arcuate or segmental form to permit the said controllershaft to have its full movement.

The governing-plunger 9 is arranged so as to never be drawn out entirely from the open end 12 of the cylinder 8, and in the starting movement the relief-port 17 ot' the plunger is in communication with the first reliefdu'ct or passage 14, thereby providing direct communication from the interior of the cylinder 8 through the said duct 14 and theport 17 with the open end 12 of the cylinder. in starting the controller or switch by turning the handle 7 the first contactof the said controller or switch may be quickly reached without resistance, as there will be nothing toresist the inward movement of theplunger 9 over the first relief-duct 14; but at the moment the first contact is made the plunger will have passed the said first relief-duct 14 and the port 17 thereof closed by the plain portion between the first and second ducts,

:thus cutting ofi communication between the Hence this slow movement the compressed air vents through the pressure-vent 13 at the closed end of the cylinder. By the timethe first contact has been entirely passed the port of the governing-plunger will have reached the next relief duct orpassage 14, thereby restablishing communication between the inner and outer portions of the cylinders and permitting the plunger to bemoved with greater speed or acceleration until the, next contact is reached, whereuponthe port 17 will again be closed and the movement of the plunger retarded during the period of contact. This operation continues throughoutthe entire series of contacts, and it will thus be seen that eifectual means are provided for preventing rapid or free movement of the plunger 9 in passing from contact to contact.

Of course when it is desired to switch off the current the controller or switch-handle may be sharply returned to its inward position, inasmuch as there is no material resistance to the outward movement of the governingplunger on account of the'open end 12'of the air-cylinder. In this connection it may be explained that a retarding or effective vacuum cannot be produced behind the plunger 9 upon the outward movement of the latter, not only on account of the open end 12 of the cylinder, but also on account of the relief afforded by the vent 13 and the cooperating port 17 and ducts 14:. A considerable rarefaction of the air would be necessary to materially resist the quick outward movement'of theplunger 9; but this will not occur-in the action of the device, because the tendency to form a vacuum would be rapidly overcome in quick succession, as the port 17 communicates with the successive ducts 14. At the occurrence of such communication air will be freely supplied behind the plunger, not only from the open end of the cylinder, but also through the vent 13.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described feed-governing device will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthis invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an electrical controller having a rotary controlling-shaft, of an air-check device comprising an air-cylinder and a reoiprocatin g plunger working therein, said plunger having an operative connection with said rotary contiollingshaft, and cooperating means between the plunger and the cylinder for causing the plunger to have an intermittent slow and accelerated inward movement, substantially as set forth.

2. In a speed-governor attachment for electrical or other power apparatus, the combination with the moving member of the ap paratus, of an air-check device comprising an air-cylinder, and a single governing-plunger working therein, the cylinder and plunger having vents cooperating at intervals for causing the plunger to have an intermittent slow and accelerated inward movement, substantially as set forth.

3. In a speed-governor attachment for electrical or other power apparatus, the combination with the moving member of the apparatus, of an air-check device comprising a cylinder provided'with an open end and also with a closed end, having a pressure-vent therein, and a governing-plunger working ger having vents cooperating at intervals for causing the plunger to have an intermittent slow and accelerated movement,substantially as set forth.

4. In a speed-governor attachment for electrical or other power apparatus, the combination with the moving member of the apparatus, of an air-check device comprising a cylinder having a succession of regularlyspaced relief-ducts, said cylinder being also provided with an open end and in its closed end with a pressure-vent, and a governing plunger working within the cylinder and operatively. connected with the moving member of the apparatus, said plunger having a single port cooperating with the successive reliefducts, substantially as set forth.

5. In a speed-governor attachment for electrical or other power apparatus, the combination with the moving member of the apparatus, of a stationary air-cylinderhaving an open end and provided at its closed end with a pressure-vent, a guide-bar fitted longitudinally within the cylinder and provided in one longitudinal face with a succession of regularly-spaced relief-ducts, and a governingplunger operatively connected with the moving member of the apparatus and provided with a notch taking over said guide-bar, the said plunger being further provided with a single relief-port leading from an edge there of to its outer face and cooperating with said ducts, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. MOGURTY. Witnesses:

'A. B. TOTTEN, HENRY PARKINSON.

7 within the cylinder, the latter and the plun V 

